Celebrity Edge was named the best new cruise ship of 2018. That award was due to a raft of innovations and new features, including “Magic Carpet” — a deck that moves up and down the side of the ship along a vertical track and multitasks as a boarding platform, restaurant with amazing views, or pool area extension.
Cruise-review website Cruise Critic named the Celebrity Edge the best new ship from an ocean cruise line in 2018. A ship design innovation is the elimination of standard balconies to enlarge cabins and add floor-to-ceiling windows, although some fresh-air-loving passengers may dislike that idea.
Another innovation is using facial recognition to speed up processing passengers who have checked in, scanned their passports and taken a selfie with an app.
One of Celebrity Edge’s most buzz-worthy innovations is the brightly-colored “Magic Carpet” — a 90-ton platform on the starboard side, which can be lowered to deck two, to use with boarding or disembarking passengers to tenders that will take them to shore. The Magic Carpet can also be raised as high as deck 16, where it becomes an open-air lounge and restaurant.
Read more: Aboard the new Celebrity Edge, I checked out its wow features.
